The Making of an ARGUS Agent
by Aelin Nicolo Winchester
Summary: Yao Fei made him a survivor. Slade made him a killer. Maseo is making him an agent. Or: Oliver's time in Hong Kong as told with some notable canon deviations and the author's head canons. Set during the season 3 flashbacks.
1. Services Are Required

**1\. Services Are Required**

* * *

 _November 8, 2008_

Oliver woke with a pounding headache. He didn't groan, or even stir - Slade had taught him better than that - but instead kept his eyes closed and let his other senses tell him what they could.

He could hear… people. That didn't make sense. His breath caught as he listened. He could distantly recognize the vague babble of hundreds of people talking in the distance. The sounds of a city.

He was not on the island.

He was sitting in a metal chair. He felt something rough - rope, he identified, binding his limbs and extremities.

He smelled what he thought was cooking. He hadn't smelled that in so long he wasn't even sure, but he didn't know what else it could be. It didn't smell anything like fire, or the "cooking" he did on the island.

He could hear movement somewhere near him.

"You might as well stop pretending to be asleep," came a voice.

Oliver opened his eyes and glared at the man in front of him. He was a tall man, apparently Japanese, and had long hair up in a ponytail. His voice, though, was in near-perfectly accented English.

"Where the hell am I?" Oliver demanded.

"You're in Hong Kong," the man replied, "In my home."

"Why?" he pushed, "And who are you?"

"My name is Maseo Yamashiro, and you are here because my employer requires your services."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **This story will mostly be a bunch of flash fiction and short shorts about Oliver's time in Hong Kong, but there are a few chapters with over 1000 words. There will be some AU/canon deviation, but if you've seen season 3 and are familiar with the canon, you should be able to keep up.**

 **One last thing - I already have the whole story written, so how should I go about posting it? One chapter a week, one chapter a day, or just post everything all at once? I'll let you guys decide. Tell me in the reviews.**

 **I own nothing. That goes for this chapter and the rest of this story.**

 **Sorry for the long A/N. Please review, guys!**


	2. It's Been a While

**2\. It's Been A While**

 _November 9, 2008_

"You should eat."

Oliver looked at the offered plate suspiciously. He glanced up at Maseo, but couldn't find any hint of deception. He grabbed the plate and backed away against the wall of the windowless room.

It took every ounce of self-control he had to wait until his captor was a comfortable distance away before eating. The island had conditioned him to eat what he could, when he could, how he could. The when was random, the how was always nearly-raw and still bloody, not cooked nearly enough to be considered safe by anyone else, and as quickly as possible.

When Maseo was on the other side of the room, Oliver tore into the meal like an animal. In the back of his mind, it registered that he probably looked savage, but he didn't care.

"You should eat more slowly," Maseo suggested from across the room.

Oliver didn't acknowledge him, tearing through the meal in under two minutes without touching the offered spoon (no fork or knife, of course. He was still a prisoner). When he finished, he finally looked up and found Maseo looking at him from across the room. He scowled at the older man, his eyes daring him to say something about it. Maseo merely continued eating his own meal calmly.

Not five minutes later, Oliver was on his knees, vomiting and trying to keep his hair of his face. Maseo was beside him, handing him a water bottle when he finished.

"I told you you should eat more slowly," Maseo said mildly.

That wasn't why he'd thrown up. He had been eating like that for years. It was the preservatives, he realized. Salt, sugar, seasoning, and every other modern "improvement" made to almost all food these days had been lost to him for two years. His stomach had taken weeks to adapt to the island's selection (consisting of barely cooked meat), and it would probably take weeks to do the reverse.

He glared at Maseo, wondering how he could say that without sounding weak. He wasn't sure he could. Maseo, however, was looking back with slightly furrowed brows. A glint of realization passed through his eyes.

"How long have you been on that island?"

"It's been a while," he replied shortly.

"It's the additives, isn't it?" Maseo asked, but it wasn't really a question. Oliver nodded anyway. "I apologize; I should have anticipated this. I'll go get something from the farmers market after we clean this mess up."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **This head canon of mine was actually what first led me to write this story. Please review, guys! You don't know how happy it makes me when you do.**

 **Thanks a million to Phillipe363 and mjf2468 for your reviews. Until I get a few more reviews, I'll be posting one chapter a day.**

 **I'll note here that Oliver won't be meeting Waller in this story. I thought it was kind of unrealistic for the head of a super spy agency to personally meet with a new recruit, so it just didn't happen.**


	3. So Damn Close

**3\. So Damn Close**

 _November 15, 2008_

Oliver's first and last escape attempt was a week after his initial capture. Prior to that, being stuck in a bare room with no windows and a thick door that he could neither break down nor pick (there must have been a chain on the outside or something) had proved problematic in that respect.

He was eating again, and though it still felt strange to eat well-cooked food, he no longer threw up. Maseo had said that he would be slowly reintroduced to salt and preservatives and other additives over the next few weeks. He doubted it would be a pleasant process, but Oliver had no intention of sticking around long enough for Maseo to help with that.

Maseo was eating across the sparse room, as usual. He had eaten most of his meals with Oliver, probably to make sure he didn't try anything sketchy.

Like escape, for instance.

Now, Oliver set his empty plate on the floor. Maseo took much longer to eat (Oliver, of course, still ate far faster than most would consider healthy, but his body had gotten accustomed to that over two years and it was fine for him). When he was done, he walked to Oliver's seat and leaned down to retrieve his plate. As the older man's hand went to the plastic spoon, Oliver beat him to it and jabbed the utensil into his throat, shooting to his feet. Or he tried to, at least.

Maseo grabbed his arm before he could get any farther than standing.

Oliver tried to punch him, but his other hand was caught and he found both arms twisted painfully. Oliver headbutted him and brought his knee up to the man's stomach, giving just enough leeway for him to break free and dash for the door. There was a window immediately outside the door, which Oliver jumped through without hesitation, breaking the glass.

He didn't stop even after he was on the streets, running through vendors and stalls to lose Maseo, who he knew would be following him. He didn't dare look back to see if he'd succeeded.

He grabbed a cell phone from a guy on the street, still running, when it occurred to him that he didn't know his mother's number. With a scowl, he pulled up the Internet, only to find that the keyboard was in Chinese.

 _Shit._ He needed to contact somebody who would help him. His family, Tommy - _Malcolm!_ There was a Merlyn Global branch in Hong Kong. He dropped the phone, waving a taxi. "Merlyn Global," he ordered as he climbed into the cab. Just as the car took off, he saw Maseo round the corner.

 _I'm so close,_ Oliver thought, _I'm so close, I can't get caught now._

That was when gunshots rang out, and the taxi slowed. Maseo had shot the tires. _Of fucking course_ Maseo shot the tires.

Oliver started running again, but Maseo had caught him to him in the few seconds he took to jump out of the taxi.

Maseo tackled him, and they both hit the ground hard. Oliver just had time to see the needle in the man's hand before he felt a pinch in his neck and his vision faded.

 _I was so damn close._

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Uh-oh. Oliver's in trouble. Anyway, since it's Christmas, I really think you guys should be generous and give me some reviews, please!**

 **One last thing: I'm looking for a beta.** **I don't really know how one goes about getting a beta, so... A** **nybody interested?**


	4. This Is the Hard Way

**4\. This Is the Hard Way**

 _November 15, 2008_

Maseo was there when he woke up, back in the bare room he'd been held in for the last several days. He was sitting in a chair again, but his limbs were free now.

"You tried to escape," Maseo stated matter-of-factly. Oliver was surprised to note that the Japanese man didn't sound as angry as he'd expected. Just tired.

"And I failed," he replied equally flatly, "What are you going to do me? Kill me? Torture me?"

Maseo closed his eyes and sighed, and Oliver's mind reiterated his earlier thought. The man looked exhausted. "I don't want to hurt you, Oliver. I want your help." He opened his eyes. "I wanted to do this the easy way."

"Keeping me prisoner here was the easy way?" Oliver growled.

"Yes. It was." Maseo sighed again, and Oliver wondered what he was so stressed about. Surely it wasn't just his almost-escape. "Amanda Waller has ways of making you work for her, whether you want to or not. But I'm going to give you one last chance." He looked at Oliver expectantly, almost… pleadingly.

Oliver was getting a very bad feeling in his gut. Torture was looking more and more likely.

But that changed nothing. Oliver had been tortured before, and he hadn't given in then. He certainly wouldn't now.

"I will not be ARGUS's bitch," Oliver snarled.

Maseo's face was grave. "I thought so. I didn't want to do this." He reached into his jacket, but instead of a knife as Oliver expected, he brought out a tablet. He approached Oliver until he was standing right in front of him and raised the device so Oliver could see the screen. Oliver glared at the older man for a moment before looking down at the tablet apprehensively. Whatever it was must be important.

He didn't know what he expected, but it wasn't what he got. On the tablet were video feeds of Thea, Tommy, and Laurel.

Oliver felt himself go cold.

"What is this?" he demanded. He didn't know why, but his voice sounded much calmer than it should have.

"That is live feed from a few of the many cameras in place to keep an eye on your friends in Starling City," Maseo said matter-of-factly, tucking the tablet back in his coat, "You see, there's a team of ARGUS agents in your city, always ready to take out any one of these people."

Oliver wanted to panic, but he had to think his way through the situation. There was a long beat of silence as Oliver weighed his options. "You're bluffing," he finally accused, "You'd never risk that. They're too high-profile."

"Maybe I am," Maseo admitted, "Or maybe Thomas Merlyn's alcohol problem hasn't gone away in the last two years, and accidental alcohol poisoning wouldn't really be far-fetched at all. Or maybe Thea Queen, going through her rebellious teenage stage as she is, sneaks out one night and gets shot by some mugger who doesn't recognize her as the Queen heiress in the dark. Or _maybe_ Laurel Lance gets attacked by one of the many bitter criminals her father put in jail."

Oliver could feel his hands shaking, whether it was with rage at ARGUS or fear for his friends he wasn't sure. He was trying to come up with a way out of this, some excuse or plan or _anything._ Either his mind just wasn't working, or there really was no way. It had to be the former.

"This is the hard way," Maseo continued gravely, pulling him back to reality, "Your friends are innocent, and not involved in this situation beyond their past affiliation with you. I don't want them hurt any more than you do. But regardless of my feelings, they _will_ be, if you continue to make the wrong choice."

"Oh, you bastard," Oliver hissed, almost incoherent with anger, "You freaking- your _employer_ would murder innocents just to get her way?!"

"I'm just the messenger, Mr. Queen," Maseo replied calmly, "I don't make the decision of what happens to them. You do. Choose."

Oliver's anger was suppressed, with some effort, just enough to look at the situation clearly (more or less). Let his best friends and sister die, or kill strangers for a woman he'd never met. This wasn't even a choice.

"Choose, Mr. Queen," Maseo repeated, more quietly.

Oliver took a deep breath, forcing himself to answer without a shake in his voice. "I'll do it."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **This was one part of the story I never really got - why not threaten Oliver's own family? I mean, I understand that Moira is way too high-profile for that, but Thea is a drug addict and Tommy has a history of substance abuse, and Laurel has plenty of enemies ARGUS could realistically frame for her murder. They could just as easily make it look like a tragic accident anyway.**

 **One other thing I didn't agree with in canon - Oliver spent five months just sitting around Maseo'a apartment and trying to escape? No. Just no.**

 **Okay, enough ranting from me. I wanna hear from y'all! Please review! And merry Christmas, guys.**


	5. Promises Are Not Made

**5\. Promises Are Not Made**

 _November 15, 2008_

Oliver sat on the couch, looking around the apartment. It was so…normal. Well, not exactly normal for _him_ , because he was both American and filthy rich, but it looked basically like one would expect for a regular family in Hong Kong.

And it was apparently a family's place. There were signs of it everywhere, from photos on the wall to a stray toy left on the floor. Oliver eyed a picture of Maseo with a woman and young boy. "Who's that?" he asked absently.

Maseo glanced up from where he was making tea. His eyes followed Oliver's to the photo, and a hint of a smile lighted his face. "My wife, Tatsu, and my son, Akio. They went to stay with a neighbor while you were considering my offer, but they'll be coming home tomorrow."

 _Considering his offer, huh?_ Oliver thought, _That's one way of putting it._

* * *

The next day found Maseo and Oliver sitting in the living room of the apartment with Tatsu and Akio.

"Oliver, this is my family," Maseo began, "Tatsu, Akio, this is Oliver Queen, my new partner."

Tatsu nodded to him politely but distantly. Oliver couldn't blame her. He wouldn't immediately trust him either, if he were in her situation. He didn't trust her or Maseo either.

Akio sat down and looked up at him. "Are you going to help us go home?" he asked quietly.

Oliver hesitated. Maseo had told him about how they could not return home to Japan until he had worked off their debt to Waller. It wasn't entirely different from Oliver's own situation.

What was he suppose to say to that? He glanced up at Maseo, but the man looked impassive, as usual.

"I guess we'll see, won't we?" Oliver smiled tightly. That sounded weak even to himself. Akio, however, smiled brightly and scurried back to his mother's side.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **This wasn't my best chapter, but it could be worse. Tell me what you thought.**


	6. A New Teacher

**6\. A New Teacher**

 _November 18, 2008_

Oliver failed to block yet another punch to some obscure but apparently vital spot and hit the ground again.

Oliver was tired and sweaty, but adrenaline was still pumping through his veins. He shot back up and went at Maseo again. They had been sparring in intervals for almost half an hour, and Oliver was frustrated to admit that he was already slowing down. He'd gotten out of practice as a result of a week of a week in captivity, but he still felt like he should be better than this. He couldn't remember being this exhausted since the start of his training with Slade.

A few minutes later, Maseo threw him onto the ground again. Oliver stood to attack again, but Maseo dropped his hands. "That's enough," he said.

"I can keep going," Oliver protested.

"I know you can," Maseo acknowledged, "But Tatsu made lunch. Trust me, that's not something you wanna miss. Even for training as educational as this."

 _That sounded vaguely sarcastic,_ Oliver noted, _But it didn't seem to have any bite in it._

 _Did he just make a joke?_

"You seem... disproportionately surprised," Mateo commented mildly.

Oliver realized with alarm that he had said that last part out loud. Instead of embarrassing himself further with a stuttered explanation, he chose to take a long drink from his water bottle. When he glanced back at Maseo, he found him doing the same, with something resembling a smile on his lips.

He supposed he shouldn't be so surprised. He didn't peg Maseo for a cheerful guy, but he had only known the man ten days, and most of that time had been spent in captivity on his end.

He had definitely been calmer since his family had returned as well. Oliver tried to remember if his father had ever looked at him like Maseo looked at Akio, but nothing came to mind. That should probably have disturbed him more than it did, but the man had already given his life for him. There wasn't much more than that one could do to prove one's love.

"The next time we train will be more productive," Maseo assured him, "This was mostly mapping out your skills. Now that I've got a sense of your style, I'll be able to teach you better, and you'll be able to incorporate what I teach you into what you already know."

Oliver paused. "Teach me?" he repeated, surprised. He'd been grateful for the offer of a spar to keep their skills honed, but actually teaching him seemed… he wasn't sure. He just hadn't ever imagined having another teacher after Slade. It felt… wrong. Or maybe that was just the normal heartache that accompanied most thoughts about Slade.

"I'm your handler," Maseo explained, "It's my responsibility to keep you alive. You're good, Oliver, but you're not the best, and you can be better. I'm not just here to make sure you don't run back to Starling City. I'm here to turn you into an agent."

Oliver hadn't thought about it like that, and in truth he wasn't sure he wanted to. He was going to be an ARGUS agent. Maseo was his handler and trainer.

He took another drink. No, he really didn't want to think about it like that, but he couldn't think of it any other way now that he'd had that thought because it was the obvious truth.

He pushed these thoughts away. He told himself that this was an opportunity to get stronger. It didn't matter if Slade should be the one giving him this opportunity, because Slade was dead and Maseo wasn't. Maseo was there, and he wasn't an enemy, and that was good enough for Oliver.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **My longest chapter yet, and in my opinion one of the better ones so far. But what _your_ opinion, hmm? Review, please!**


	7. Personal

**7\. Personal**

 _November 18, 2008_

Maseo had seen Oliver's scars when ARGUS had brought the American to his doorstep. He had given him a shirt while he was still unconscious to give him some semblance of privacy, but Maseo had recognized the signs of torture. Burn marks, long scars from blades not thrust but sliced, what looked like whip marks.

He hadn't said anything, of course. There was an unspoken rule in his line of work: scars were personal. Maseo didn't know how Oliver had gotten them, and he would neither ask nor speculate until Oliver told him. If he never told him, that was fine.

When they trained, Oliver had been hesitant to take his shirt off (not that he'd said that, but his body language spoke plainly enough), so Maseo had tossed him an undershirt without comment, and looked away while he changed. Neither of them mentioned it, but Oliver had looked grateful.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Just a little not-quite-drabble from Maseo's perspective. I liked writing this one. Review, guys!**


	8. Delayed Reaction

**8\. Delayed Reaction**

 _November 20, 2008_

 _"Tell me," Slade demanded, "Do you even regret it? Killing Shado?"_

I didn't kill her, _he wanted to scream,_ It was Ivo! _But Slade knew that; he just didn't care. It looked the same to him._

 _It_ felt _the same to both of them. Her death was Oliver's choice. Her death was his biggest mistake._

 _Then Slade lunged, and Oliver just_ reacted _. It was pure instinct, thrusting the arrow into Slade's eye. He didn't have time to think until the man was already dead. He felt his brother's blood on his hands, and then the ship heaved and he was thrown to the floor._

 _And suddenly Slade was standing over him again, blood flowing from his ruined eye, the arrow held in his hand. His remaining eye was angry and accusatory. "You did this," he snarled, "You killed me. You swore that you would lay down your life for me, and then you chose that blonde bitch over me_ and _Shado. You killed us both."_

 _Slade raised the hand with the arrow -_ the arrow you killed him with, _Oliver's mind whispered - and Oliver knew he was going to die._

* * *

Still stuck in the moment between sleep and waking, Oliver was just aware to identify the dark shape in front of him as a person - a threat - within a second and lunged at them.

* * *

Maseo could have pinned him down, but instead he chose to leap back and get as far from Oliver as possible. He'd seen this plenty of times before in others, so he knew how to handle it. He would realize where he was in a few moments.

Sure enough, the caged-animal gleam faded from Oliver's eyes and he straightened as he recognized Maseo. Maseo was leaning against the doorframe, waiting. "You were having a nightmare," he said simply.

Oliver nodded. "Thanks," he said awkwardly. The American looked like he'd rather Maseo just left, but he couldn't do that yet.

"You want to tell me about it?" the older man suggested.

Oliver's eyes went from the floor to him. He looked suspicious. "Why?" he demanded.

Maseo shrugged. "I've found it helps, telling someone."

Oliver gave him a searching look. Maseo knew what was coming. He would find no deception and tell him, or he would close up and Maseo would get nothing.

"There were a couple others on that island," he began, "One of them, her name was Shado, I… she's dead. Because of me. I could've saved her, and I chose to save someone else. That was a mistake."

He paused, but Maseo knew he had more to say, so he said nothing.

"And the other one." Oliver licked his lips. His mouth felt dry as his mind returned to Slade. "He wasn't in his right mind, so he tried to kill me. And I killed him. He was like a brother to me and I killed him." His voice didn't shake, but the grief, the guilt, was thick.

Maseo was silent for a moment, trying to discern the emotions he'd heard in Oliver's voice. Definitely grief and guilt, but also something else. Loneliness, he identified. From what the younger man had said, his only two friends were dead because of him (or at least he thought so). Maseo had an idea of what to say, but it needed to be handled delicately.

"When I was younger," he began, "I had a friend. His name was Aboa. We were like brothers once, before he fell in with the Triad. Then he became like another person. I tried to help him, but he wouldn't accept it. And then one day, when we were seventeen, he showed up at my house drunk and angry. He waved a gun in my face. He would have pulled it, if I hadn't done shot him first. I didn't have time to think about it, I just did what I had to do.

"I don't know if that's anything like what happened to you, but my point is that we all have our ghosts. You have to be stronger than them. That's easier when you have someone with whom to share the burden. I have Tatsu. If you ever need it, you have me."

Maseo waited a moment to see if he would answer, but the younger man had nothing to say. So he left wordlessly, closing the door behind him. He knew Oliver's silence was not an outright rejection, but it would take time for him to trust Maseo enough to let him help. Maseo chose to count this encounter as a win.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I posted two chapters today because chapter 7 was so short. New rule: every time I post a chapter under 200 words, I will post another chapter immediately after.**

 **The POV change in this one was kinda weird, because it showed Oliver's nightmare, then switched to Maseo's. Oh well. Tell me what you thought, guys!**


	9. Necessary Skills

**9\. Necessary Skills**

 _November 20, 2008_

Oliver caught the thrown book, startled, and looked up at Maseo. "What is this?"

"It's a Mandarin to English dictionary. Translate the list, memorize the translations," he ordered simply.

Oliver frowned. "Why?" he asked, confused.

"You're learning Mandarin," he explained matter-of-factly, "Language is a necessary skill in this profession, and you only know one. That's not enough."

Oliver wondered if he should be offended by that, but Maseo didn't sound spiteful. He was just stating a fact.

Oliver opened the book and a piece of paper fell out with a list of English words. He glanced up to ask something, but Maseo was gone.

Oliver thumbed the book. "So now I'm learning Mandarin," he muttered.

No _'Hey, Oliver, you want to learn Mandarin?',_ no _'You should learn Mandarin, it's a useful and necessary skill.'_ Just _'You need to learn Mandarin, so you are.'_

He sighed. _Another major life choice taken from me,_ he thought dryly, _Wonderful._ He didn't care that much - Maseo did have a point, after all - but _still_.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **A pretty short chapter, but I just thought it was ridiculous that in canon Oliver lived in Hong Kong for a year and didn't even try to learn Mandarin, so I had to rectify that.**


	10. It's Worth It (Or So He Tells Himself)

**10\. It's Worth It (Or So He Tells Himself)**

 _November 26, 2008_

Two men stood on a roof of a tall building overlooking the roof of a smaller hotel. It was the kind of hotel Oliver might have stayed in years ago, he noted in the back of his mind.

"We'll set up position here to wait for the target," Maseo said, setting a briefcase on the AC unit.

"Who's your target?" Oliver asked.

"I don't have a target. You do." The older man began calmly assembling the rifle parts he'd taken from the briefcase as if nothing was unusual about this situation.

Oliver, on the other hand, snapped to attention immediately at his words. "What?"

"It might have escaped your notice, but Waller doesn't have a sense of humor," Maseo pointed out dryly.

"Oh, really? Then why did she drag me off of Lian Yu and brings me all the way to Hong Kong to become her _hit man_?" he snarked, still processing the information. He really should have realized this before now.

"To become her _operative_ ," Maseo corrected him, his voice a little sharper than usual, "Obviously she sees something in you, and wants that something working for ARGUS. Otherwise she wouldn't be threatening your friends and family to ensure your compliance." He handed the now functional rifle to Oliver. "The target will be entering our line any moment."

Reluctantly, without replying, Oliver took the gun and set it up on the AC unit, looking down through the scope.

He was going to kill a person, for what crime he didn't know. They could be innocent, for all he knew. Sure, he had killed before, but that didn't mean he liked it.

 _It's for Thea,_ he told himself, _And for Tommy and Laurel. It's worth it._

Maseo's voice cut through his thoughts. "The target will walk ten paces through the roof garden, then arrive at the hotel suite. That's your window."

"I see it," Oliver murmured, eyes still on the scene below him.

The woman followed another person - a man - across the hotel's roof garden.

 _It's worth it._

He didn't think about the glint of rings on each of the couple's left ring fingers.

 _It's worth it._

The man opened the door for her.

"Now," Maseo ordered.

Oliver pulled the trigger, and the woman went down.

 _It's worth it._

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Well, here we have some tough choices for Oliver. There was a lot of script from the show in this one, I admit.**

 **Also, I said in my A/N last chapter that Oliver didn't learn Mandarin in Hong Kong in canon. ShinObi87 pointed out that he did, so I checked the wiki, and it turns out it did show him learning Cantonese in canon. The wiki also says he knows both Cantonese and Mandarin, but I can't find where it shows him learning Mandarin. Thanks for your review anyway.**

 **Anyway, please review, guys!**


	11. Why You Fight

**11\. Why You Fight**

 _November 26, 2008_

Oliver was quieter than usual when they returned to Maseo's apartment. That wasn't unexpected. He had just killed a woman, and he didn't even know why.

Maseo noticed. "Are you okay?" he asked once they were in the relative safety of the apartment. Thankfully, Tatsu was at work, and Akio at school.

"I'm fine," Oliver lied, but he couldn't even fool himself.

Maseo looked at him blankly. "If I did not want a truthful answer, I would not have asked a question."

Oliver hesitated. "I just killed a woman and I don't even know why."

He looked at the American for long enough to make most people uncomfortable. Then he said rather suddenly, "You do know why. You killed her because your friends needed you to kill her. That is the only reason that matters." Maseo paused, as if wondering what else to say, then continued. "I was sick after my first kill, you know. I wouldn't even get out of bed for a couple of days afterwards. What finally got me back up was when Tatsu reminded me what I was fighting for. My family."

Oliver was a bit stunned by the revelation. Maseo had told him very little about his past, besides his family's predicament. He always seemed like a pillar of stone. Unshakable. But it seemed the assassin was more human than he'd given him credit for, even after seeing him with Tatsu and Akio.

"My point," the older man continued, "Is that you are stronger now than I was when I started this. And that will make it easier, but it's not enough. You must always remember what you're fighting for, because the day you forget is the day you stop fighting, and that is _not_ an option."

Oliver looked at Maseo, but he had no idea what to say.

What was he fighting for? For Thea and Laurel and Tommy, of course. He'd had to choose between two people he loved before, and that decision ( _mistake_ , his mind whispered) had killed something in him. Now he was being forced to choose between his loved ones and strangers. That wasn't even a choice. He had chosen his friends in a heartbeat, and he would do it again.

"Maseo," Oliver called just before the man could leave the room, "Thanks." The man didn't reply, but Oliver could've sworn he'd seen a hint of a smile as he left.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I liked this chapter. What about y'all?**


	12. Stillness

**12\. Stillness**

 _November 30, 2008_

Oliver sat on the floor of the apartment's living room, staring at the wall in front of him. He'd been like that for a few minutes. Maseo was somewhere behind him; he didn't dare look back to check where exactly.

His nose itched.

 _Don't do it,_ he thought, _Don't scratch it. Don't move._

A moment later, his back stung as yet another baseball hit it. "Stop fidgeting," Maseo warned.

He cursed, turning to glare at Maseo. "What the hell is the point of this?" Oliver demanded. He'd been instructed to sit completely still, and every time he deviated from that even slightly had ended in another bruise on his back and a reprimand from Maseo.

"You're a sniper, Oliver," Maseo explained with a sigh, "You need to be able to sit completely still, without even twitching, for hours in extreme conditions. That ability will come from practice, but until then, this must do."

Oliver wanted to protest; he really did. except…that was a valid point. _Damn it._ He turned back to the wall with a scowl.

* * *

This would be repeated for one or two hours, once a day, every day for the next three months, in various conditions and locations. It would get gradually easier, and Oliver usually found himself leaving the sessions unbruised after two months.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **This is just a little head canon of mine. Please review, guys!**


	13. Innocence

**13\. Innocence**

 _December 14, 2008_

Oliver sat on the floor of the apartment, deep in concentration. He hadn't seen the Triad operative drop the package during the chase, but it hadn't been on him when Oliver caught him. Now that the man was dead, there was no way of getting the information from him.

According to Maseo, he had seen it; he just didn't recognize it for what it was, and he needed to locate that memory. He was trying to remember where it could've been dropped. He had been attempting to do so for the last half hour, and frustrated didn't even begin to describe his state of mind. He wasn't too focused on his task to notice Akio enter the room, but he paid the boy no attention.

After a few minutes, Akio finally asked what was on his mind. "Why are you brooding?"

Oliver blinked, startled out of his reverie. His clever reply was, of course, "What?"

"You've got that look on your face. When Father has that look, Mother tells him to stop brooding," Akio explained.

Oliver almost smiled, bemused. "I'm not brooding, just thinking," he corrected the boy placatingly.

"That's what Father always says when Mother thinks he's brooding," Akio pushed. At this, Oliver did smile. Akio was a good kid, much better than Oliver had been at his age.

"I'm trying to remember something," Oliver admitted, "It's something important, but I didn't think it was important at the time so I didn't pay much attention. Your father thinks if I think hard enough, I'll remember."

Akio bit his lower lip for a second, then gestured for Oliver to come closer. Curiously, he did so. Oliver welcomed the break from the depressing mental exercise.

Akio picked up a couple of cards from the matching game he was playing and turned them over. "See?" he held them up to Oliver's face. Oliver nodded, curious and a little confused. Then Akio put the cards down. "Where are they?" he asked, pointing to the row of cards. Oliver picked up the cards he'd just seen, still wondering where this was going.

Akio grinned. "See? Your memory is fine."

At that, Oliver couldn't help but grin too. As surrounded as they were with darkness and death, Akio's innocence was a refreshing sight. He still had a light in his eyes that was mostly gone in Oliver himself.

And maybe it was a naive thought, but he hoped the kid could keep that light for a long time more.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **This was a tag to episode 3.6 "Guilty." Some fluff with Akio, because Akio was cute. I enjoyed writing this. Please review, guys!**


	14. The Easiest Hard Choice

**14\. The Easiest Hard Choice**

 _December 17, 2008_

They were in an abandoned parking garage, Maseo leading the way to the top floor. When Oliver had asked about the purpose of this trip, he'd replied only with "training," so Oliver was understandably apprehensive. He wasn't sure what to expect, but he doubted it would be anything fun.

He definitely didn't expect to find a man with a sack over his head, bound to a chair.

"Maseo, what is this?" Oliver asked uneasily.

Maseo looked him in the eye, and he looked as grave as Oliver had ever seen him. "Training." He pulled the man's hood off to reveal a bald, tattooed, and unconscious man. "This is Bao Chen. He's one of the top officers of the Triad's human trafficking chain in Hong Kong. You're going to find out where they're holding the girls they capture." Maseo read the unspoken question in his eyes, adding, "By any means necessary."

"You want me to torture him," Oliver said, more a statement than a question.

Ignoring his words, Maseo walked to where a cart stood, covered with a white sheet. He pulled the sheet off to reveal… too much. "These are your tools. And this," he said, picking up a duffle bag sitting on the top, "Is a gift from Waller."

He tossed the bag to Oliver, who mutely opened it. He was surprised to find Yao Fei's bow, whole and unbroken. He glanced at Maseo questioningly.

"We salvaged it from the wreckage of the Amazo. Waller thought you would want it, eventually, and this seemed like an appropriate time."

 _No._

Yao Fei's bow was an instrument of survival. He had killed with it, yes, and it hadn't all been necessary, but it was a weapon and that was weapons _did_. This was different. It wasn't meant for this.

Even without Yao Fei's bow, with all the... _tools_ that Maseo had revealed, he couldn't. He couldn't do that. He was just not capable of that.

Finally, Oliver found his voice. "No." It came out quieter than he intended, but firm.

Maseo looked at him sharply. "Oliver, you've been doing well. Don't let your heart screw it up now," he warned.

"I can't," Oliver protested firmly, "I can't do this. I can't _torture_ him."

The older man approached him, standing where their faces were inches apart. "Do you know what happens to those girls if you don't find out?" he asked intently, "They spend the rest of their lives as slaves and _playthings_ for twisted bastards like this man. He doesn't just sell them, he samples his product. He is a monster. He deserves far, _far_ worse than what you're going to do." Maseo's eyes were smoldering with an intensity Oliver had never seen in the normally calm man before.

He stepped back, and the fire was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced with his usual stone-like calm. "You've made hard choices before. Now you must choose between a monster among men and _dozens_ of innocents. This is likely the _easiest_ hard choice you'll ever have to make. And time is of the essence - we have no idea when they plan to sell the girls. So, choose, Oliver."

Oliver didn't answer. Maseo didn't wait for him to. Oliver didn't move to stop him as he left. "And Oliver," he called when he reached the stairwell door, "Remember what you're fighting for."

Then he was gone. Oliver looked at the bow in his hands, then placed it back in the bag with the quiver. He would not defile Yao Fei's bow with this work. He moved to the cart and looked at the tools.

He wasn't capable of torture. Of that he was almost certain. But the other choice was his friends being hurt or killed as punishment for his failure, and those girls would live in a hell worse than Liam Yu.

He had thought he wasn't capable of murder once. He'd been certain of it, and he'd been so wrong.

 _Remember what you're fighting for._

There had been a time when he lived only for himself. He had been weak then. He was stronger now. He had something to fight for, so he _had_ to fight.

He picked up a knife.

 _Remember what you're fighting for._

He swallowed.

 _It's worth it._

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I'm posting two chapters today because it's New Years. This chapter had a very different tone than chapter 13.**

 **This is one of the bigger differences in this story from canon. Oliver's fighting for his own friends/family instead of Maseo's, so he's gonna do whatever it takes to keep them safe** **. Happy New Years, and please review, guys!**


	15. The Fallout

**15\. The Fallout**

 _December 17, 2008_

Oliver locked the restroom door behind him and leaned back against the door. He had tried to shut his emotions off on the way back to the apartment, as Maseo had taught him, but that wall had been shaky at best, and now he could feel it falling apart. He tried to reign in his breathing, but it was quickening anyway.

He had just tortured a man. He closed his eyes, but that didn't stop the image that was burned into his mind. That Triad officer, tied to a chair and covered in wounds meant not to kill or incapacitate, but to _hurt_ , and his eyes desperate for any reprieve.

God, he had screamed. He had _begged_. But Oliver hadn't stopped until his mission was accomplished, the intel gathered. Then, when the man had been barely able to speak from pain, he had told him what he needed to know, and he had begged to die. So Oliver had killed him.

He had seriously thought that he was incapable of torture before. He'd thought he was incapable of murder as well. He'd once thought he was something close to a good person. He'd been laughably wrong.

Maseo had reported the intel to the field office as soon as he'd gotten it, and he said they would send out a team for a raid. Oliver hadn't really been listening at the time, but he'd processed that much.

He could still feel the blood on his hands. He glanced down at his hands and realized with a jolt that the blood _was_ still on his hands. He hadn't had time to wash them. He stared at the red.

That blood on his hands had come from the body of the man he'd tortured. It was not supposed to be there.

He was suddenly overcome with the urge to _get it off_ , and he was leaning over the sink, running the water as high as it would go. He kept scouring his hands long after the blood was gone, until his hands felt raw. He scrubbed so hard that his hand slipped and hit the mirror, and he realized as he looked at the blood that blossomed from it - _his_ blood, blood was _supposed_ to be there - that he had broken the glass. That should concern him more than it really did.

"Oliver?" came Maseo's concerned voice from the other side, "Are you okay?"

Oliver forced himself to answer, though his throat still felt tight. "Fine." He couldn't tell if his voice shook. He hoped not.

There was a pause. "Oliver, let me in," Maseo ordered.

"I'm fine," he insisted more forcefully. He knew his voice didn't quiver there.

"Let me in," Maseo repeated sharply.

Oliver hesitated, then cursed himself for it. There was no reason for Maseo to help him. He was - maybe not fine, but he would live. He wasn't weak; he didn't need Maseo's help.

"I'm fine," Oliver almost snarled, "I don't need your help."

Maseo didn't answer immediately, and Oliver almost thought he was gone before he spoke again.

"If you won't accept my help, then take my advice. I told you once that strength is not enough, that you had to remember what you're fighting for. But nor is remembering alone enough. You must have both. It's a combination few can maintain, but you've done well. So remember what you fight for, Oliver, but also know that you are stronger than this."

Oliver's teeth were gritted so hard he could hear his mouth creak. "Are you done?" he ground out.

He heard a soft sigh from the other side of the door, then quiet footfalls, and he was sure Maseo was gone this time. Oliver looked at the broken mirror and shut the faucet off with a sigh.

He could almost hear Slade snap at him, _pull it together, kid. I taught you better than this. I made you stronger than this. So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get the hell over it._

You are stronger than this, Maseo had said.

 _I made you stronger than this._

Oliver swallowed. He needed to look at this objectively.

 _Pull it together, kid._

He had saved those girls and he had protected his friends as he did with all his successes.

 _I taught you better than this._

The price, objectively, had been the blood of a Triad officer. Subjectively, it had been a part of his soul he didn't think he'd ever get back.

It was over now. The blood was spilled. The officer was dead. The intel was extracted.

 _So pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get the hell over it._

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I kind of enjoyed writing this angst. I don't know if it's well-written angst or not, though, so I need y'all to tell me. Through reviews!**


	16. Exceeding Expectations

**16\. Exceeding Expectations**

 _December 17, 2008_

Maseo hadn't really expected Oliver to torture the man. It was a test all recruits went through, but most recruits didn't pass it the first time. Most couldn't do it until months later in their training.

He could definitely see what Waller had seen in Oliver. He claimed to dislike unnecessary violence, but he was ruthless when he had to be.

Now he was at a stage where his continued sanity was completely up to him. Maseo couldn't help him with this. Oliver would either get through this, or he would be broken. Maseo believed it would be the former.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **A little drabble from Maseo's POV. I'm gonna post another chapter today, because this one was less than 200 words. Please review!**


	17. Weapons & Tools

**17\. Weapons & Tools**

 _December 22, 2008_

Oliver ran his hands over the bow's smooth wood. He had gotten it back two days ago, and Maseo had mentioned that he could take it out in the field if he proved he was good enough with it to wield it as efficiently as a gun. The offer was appealing, and he'd considered it, but it just felt _wrong_.

For the same reason using it to torture that Triad officer would've been wrong. The bow was not supposed to be used for murder. It could kill, of course, but its main function was that of a tool for survival.

This job, his employment with ARGUS, it was not survival. It was necessary, yes, but it was not about his survival.

He placed the bow back in its case. Maseo would be returning soon, and Oliver preferred to practice in private. Of course, he could do just as well with an audience, but he could never lose himself in his art like he could when he was alone.

He might not be killing with it, but Oliver couldn't just let his skills waste away. Shado and himself both had put too much effort into getting him this far; it would be disgraceful to throw it all away now.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I just realized that I've been abbreviating this story as MMA instead of MAA in my doc manager. Oops.**

 **Please review, guys.**


	18. It Could've Been Worse

**18\. It Could've Been Worse**

 _December 25, 2008_

Thea and his mother would be unwrapping gifts soon, Oliver mused, if they hadn't already. Malcolm would probably be there. Tommy might be too. The morning would be spent in a Christmas party with all of the big names in the business world, and probably some in the political landscape. Raisa would get the day off, and the family would have a big Christmas dinner that evening.

At least, that was what they had always done before Oliver's "death." He hoped it hadn't changed too much since then. He hoped they had moved on.

Oliver had been trying studiously to ignore the signs of the Christmas season, and the ache it left in his heart. He didn't think it was working. He hadn't been this - he was hesitant to use the word, but he couldn't think of another - _homesick_ since his first year on the island.

The feeling was increased tenfold when Maseo had invited him to open gifts with his family. It was nostalgic seeing Akio open his presents so enthusiastically, but he couldn't help but remember Thea doing the same. It was impossible to enjoy himself when he saw a memory of the family he couldn't be with at every corner.

Christmas was supposed to be celebrated with one's family. The Yamashiros were not his family. He shouldn't be here. He did not _belong_ here, intruding on their Christmas. Tatsu and Maseo were insightful, and would surely notice his negative train of thought. He didn't want to bring down the mood when the others were all having a good time.

Oliver was broken out of his thoughts when Akio offered him a messily-wrapped present. "Ah, I didn't get you anything, Akio. I'm sorry," he apologized, surprised. He accepted the gift awkwardly.

"It's okay," he assured him readily, "Just open yours!"

Oliver unwrapped and opened the small box to find a small, three-pronged stylized silver crown on a leather cord. He glanced up at the boy with a curious feeling. "Akio…" He trailed off, not sure what he wanted to say. "Thanks," he settled for, forcing a smile to his lips.

Akio grinned. "It's to help you remember your family, because they're the Queens, right?" he explained, gesturing to the crown, "Father said that forgetting your family is one of the worst things that can happen to somebody, but this is so you won't have to worry about that."

Oliver felt a pang of… he wasn't sure what. On the one hand, this was another reminder that his family was not with him. On the other hand, the gesture was just innocent enough to be touching. It was sweet, he supposed.

 _To help me remember my family,_ he mused. _And isn't that exactly what I'm supposed to do? Remember what I'm fighting for? I'm fighting for them._

This time, when he smiled, it came a little easier. "Thank you, Akio. It's beautiful."

"Merry Christmas!" the boy exclaimed.

Oliver shocked himself by laughing. "Merry Christmas," he repeated, closing the box. He would examine the necklace later.

Maybe he couldn't be with his family this Christmas, but it could've been worse. He could've been alone.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **We're nearing the end of Oliver's time in Hong Kong. Just four more chapters left, in fact.**

 **Please review, guys! Please!**


	19. You've Been Good To Me

**19\. You've Been Good To Me**

 _February 25, 2009_

"There's only enough vaccine for three of us."

The men and woman sitting on the couch of the little apartment were grave. Their eyes all went to Akio, sitting on the floor across the room. Of course he would get the vaccine, but that left only two doses between three adults.

"Take the vaccines," Oliver ordered, breaking the silence, "Then get out of the city."

"Oliver-" Maseo began.

"No," he interrupted, "Maseo, Tatsu, you've been good to me. Put up with a lot of shit from me that I probably wouldn't have if our situations were reversed. Thanks. Now it's time for me to return the favor. I'm going to stop Shrieve. You guys get out of here."

"No," Tatsu protested, "Maseo, what kind of example are we setting for our son if we run while our friend risks his life for this city?"

But Maseo was looking at Oliver. He saw the same determination that he'd seen in him on missions, every time he pulled a trigger. The steel that said, _I know what I'm fighting for, and I_ will _fight._ It wasn't Oliver Queen, wayward billionaire, staring back at him. It was Oliver Queen, agent of ARGUS.

Oliver could stop Shrieve, of that Maseo had no doubt. He just wasn't certain he could do that and come back.

"You could die," Maseo warned him. It wasn't pleading, just a statement, a warning.

"I know," he replied just as matter-of-factly.

"Don't get killed. That's an order."

Oliver felt a ghost of a smirk on his lips. "Yes, sir."

"Akio," Tatsu called, "Come over here and say goodbye to Oliver."

Akio approached with a troubled look. "Why? Where is Oliver going?" the boy asked.

"Oliver's not going anywhere," Maseo corrected him, "We are. It's time for us to go home to Japan."

Akio looked up at Oliver. "Oliver isn't coming with us?"

Oliver smiled. "No, buddy. I'm sorry, but I've still got some stuff to do here."

Akio's face fell. "Oh. But you'll come and visit once you're done, won't you?"

Oliver's smile suddenly felt tight, and took too much effort. "I hope so, buddy." He wouldn't make that promise. He wouldn't lie like that.

Oliver tensed a little when Akio put his arms around him, but forced himself to hug the boy back. "Bye, Akio."

"Goodbye, Oliver," he said, still sounding sad.

The three adults stood and Maseo and Tatsu followed him to the cabinet in which his bow case was locked. He had never taken his bow out in the field, but he hadn't let his skills drop. He ran his fingers over the surface of the bow, pulling the quiver over his shoulder. He had refused to use his weapon of choice because he felt it would defile its previous owner's legacy, but if there was anything Yao Fei would deem a worthy cause, this was it.

When Oliver turned to face him, Maseo held out his arm and Oliver clasped it, the older man pulling him into a hug.

"Good luck," Maseo said, releasing him.

"Thank you," Tatsu added, "For everything you've done for my family. We will always be in your debt."

Oliver didn't think he'd done much, but he nodded anyway. His hand tightened around the bow. He would be damned if these people died on his watch.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Here we go with the Alpha Omega Virus. Next chapter will have some of the biggest deviations from canon. Please review!**


	20. Unacceptable

**20\. Unacceptable**

 _February 25, 2009_

Oliver stepped carefully around the fallen soldiers' bodies, reaching for the Alpha-Omega case. A noise sounded from the doorway, and his bow was up, pointing at the door, in a heartbeat.

"It's me," a familiar voice called, "Don't shoot." A moment later, Maseo and Tatsu entered the room.

Oliver narrowed his eyes. "Why are you still here?" he demanded sharply. They were supposed to be somewhere far away from the city with their son. "Where is Akio?"

"He's safe," Maseo replied, "And we came to help you."

"You're a little late," Oliver replied dryly.

"Even if you get the virus, you don't know how to neutralize it. I do," Tatsu pointed out.

"And I'm not going to let my wife walk into this without me," Maseo added.

The American sighed. There was no stopping Maseo when he put his mind to something, much less him _and_ Tatsu.

"We need the Beta Serum to neutralize the virus," Oliver said, "It's in one of the labs on the top floor, but that's all the guard could tell me." _When I beat it out of him,_ he added with a grimace.

* * *

"Found it!" Oliver barked, calling the other two to his side.

"Guard the entrance and window," Maseo ordered as he smashed the glass to grab the case of Beta Serum. "Don't let anyone get close enough to interfere."

Oliver did as instructed, taking the only entrance. The guards by the door already had arrows in them, but he knew more soldiers would appear once they noticed the guards had stopped reporting. He just didn't know the guards' reporting schedule, and thus no idea _when_ they would realize something was off. Hopefully it would be after they were long gone.

After a few minutes, Oliver was getting impatient. "Are you almost done?" he asked. He might feel guilty for snapping later, but he had bigger concerns. They had been here five minutes, and every second they stayed, the likelihood of getting caught increased.

Oliver could accept himself getting caught, losing his own life to stop Shrieve. He could not, however, accept Maseo and Tatsu getting killed, especially when they weren't even supposed to be here now. And above all, he could _not_ accept getting caught before the virus was neutralized.

He heard Tatsu draw in a long breath. "It will be done when it's done," she muttered, focused on her task.

That was when he heard a stampede clambering from the hallway. He cursed the soldiers' timing, though he would later suppose that they'd been lucky to get as much time as they had. He drew back his bow and took down all four soldiers before they made it to the door, but he knew more would follow soon.

"Well, it's gonna have to be done a little quicker," he snarled, "Because we're running out of time."

"Then _make_ more time, because this cannot be rushed," she replied tightly.

"You're doing fine," Maseo assured her, making his way to the door to watch the hall with Oliver. It was a higher-risk area than the window now anyway.

One minute and too many soldiers later, Tatsu announced suddenly, "I'm finished!"

Oliver allowed himself a moment to breathe a sigh of relief. That was one problem solved.

"I don't suppose you had a brilliant escape plan?" Maseo asked him.

Oliver felt a smirk light his lips as he held up the grappling hook. Maseo raised his eyebrows, but said nothing.

 _You stole my grappling hook?_ his eyes read.

 _It was for a good cause,_ Oliver thought. "Can you shoot out that window?"

Maseo sucked in a breath. "I certainly hope so. Cover your ears," was all the warning the other two got before Maseo fired off at least five shots to make the window shatter. There was a shelf between them and the window, so no glass reached them.

The first one down the line was Maseo, who dropped off by a much lower roof. Next went Oliver, despite his protests.

"Stop being stubborn," Tatsu ordered, "And get on the damned line."

When Tatsu finally followed, however, the line caught. Maseo tensed and Oliver cursed. This was just their luck.

He opened his mouth to shout instructions, but the noise was cut off by the sound of a gunshot.

 _Bang._

Then the impossible happened.

Tatsu fell from the line to the ground below.

 _No._

Oliver could feel himself freeze at the sight. It took barely a moment to register the gruesome sight of Tatsu's body splattered across the pavement, and then he felt emotions welling up. That was bad. That was dangerous.

He heard Maseo's intake of breath, and he allowed himself one glance at his friend - just enough to see the shock, the horror, the wondering _what just happened_ , before he threw himself to the ground behind the roof's AC unit, pulling Maseo with him. He must have missed something. He had been sure there were no shooters in the vicinity. They must have shown up just now, or all three of them would be dead.

He couldn't lose it now. He had to focus on what was important (even though his brain was screaming that _this_ was important, this scene before him, his friend's wife's body in pieces). They needed to get Akio and get to safety.

But where was safety, he wondered. His best answer so far was anywhere not in Hong Kong.

He turned to Maseo, whose eyes were just now alighting with realization as the shock faded. "No." The word was whispered, but Oliver felt it just might be worse than if he had screamed.

"Maseo." He grabbed the older man's shoulder, forcing him to look at him. "Listen to me. Akio needs you. We have to go find him and get him to safety. Do you understand? Your son _needs_ you."

That shook him out of it. Apparently even in the face of loss, Maseo was an ARGUS agent at heart, and he could put his emotions on hold in any situation.

"Where is Akio, Maseo?" he asked.

"The botanical gardens," Maseo answered mechanically, "A colleague of Ta- a family friend whose brother works there is taking care of him."

"Go get him," Oliver instructed intensely. "Maseo, I'm going to find Shrieve, but you have to go to your son."

* * *

It wasn't until Maseo was gone, until Oliver had found Shrieve, that he allowed himself to grieve. To feel.

And what he felt was anger. He had cared about Tatsu, yes, might even have considered her a friend, but what he felt was nothing compared to her family's pain. As he stood over Shrieve, bleeding on the ground, all he could think was that Maseo had lost his wife to this bastard. Akio had lost his mother. They would feel the effects of this for a long time yet. Though knowing Waller, the world might never even hear about Tatsu Yamashiro and how she died saving this city.

 _He doesn't deserve a quick death,_ his mind whispered, _He might not have pulled the trigger, but he killed Tatsu. He deserves to suffer._

Yes, Oliver Queen was angry. It was no secret that Oliver Queen did rash things when angered, but this wasn't rash.

He glanced at the bow in his hands. This was justice. Maseo and Akio would suffer for years because of this man's actions. It was less than he deserved to suffer for a few hours.

 _This is justice._

* * *

When Maseo found him two hours later, he said nothing. He put a bullet Shrieve's head, and offered Oliver a hand up. Akio was waiting outside, so the two adults didn't have an opportunity to talk about what had happened. Maseo hadn't told Akio about Tatsu yet. They pulled him to the side and explained as delicately as they could. Akio understood death more than any boy his age should, and his sobs finally broke through the glaze that had fallen over Oliver since Tatsu died.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **So Akio lived, which is great, but Tatsu died, because loss was necessary for where I'm going with Maseo. This was also my longest chapter yet (over 1000 words)!** **Tell me what y'all thought.**


	21. Promises

**21\. Promises**

 _February 26, 2009_

"What will you do now?" Oliver asked.

Maseo sighed. "I think… I'll find somewhere safe for Akio, then I'll go."

Oliver furrowed his brows. "Go where?"

The older man shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted, "I just know that I wasn't strong enough to protect Tatsu, and I'm not strong enough to protect Akio. I need to get stronger."

Oliver stayed silent for a moment. He thought he understood, but… "You're leaving Akio?"

"When I'm strong enough, I'll come back to him."

Oliver gave Maseo a long, searching look. His friend had that look in his eyes - the look of an agent who knew what he had to do, and was determined to do it. He knew what that look meant.

"I can't talk you out of this, can I?" Oliver acknowledged.

The look Maseo sent his way was answer enough.

Akio had just lost his mother, and now his father was leaving him as well. _So are you,_ his mind whispered. Oliver pushed that thought away.

"Any idea how long you'll be gone?" he pushed.

"As long as it takes," he replied.

Oliver pursed his lips. That wasn't a good answer. At all. It gave the distinct impression that Maseo didn't plan to pay Akio _any_ visits until that time.

"I'll check in on him," Oliver promised with a sigh, "Every once in awhile. To make sure he's okay until you return."

"Thank you, Oliver." Maseo looked more grateful than Oliver had ever seen him. "I can't thank you enough. You've done so much for my family. Thank you."

Oliver shrugged. He thought it was the other way around, but he wasn't going to say so.

"But enough about me. What about you? Will you go back to your family?"

Oliver knew a subject change when he heard one, and that wasn't even remotely subtle. However, it was an important subject.

It was also a subject he _really_ didn't want to talk about.

"No," he replied tightly, "I don't know what I'm going to do, but I can't go back to that life now." Not after everything he'd done, after Shrieve and the Triad officer and all the other lives he'd taken. He couldn't just go back to who he used to be. That Oliver had died with his father.

He half-expected Maseo to ask why, but instead he stayed silent for a few moments. "I understand," he said at last.

That shouldn't have surprised him. Maseo had always seemed to understand more than he should. Still, he looked troubled.

"What is it?" Oliver pressed.

There was a pause long enough for Oliver to wonder if he'd heard him. But the older man asked finally, "What will you fight for?"

Oliver resisted a sigh. He'd been asking himself the same question. "I don't know yet. I'll figure it out." He knew it was dangerous, going into this - whatever _this_ was, whatever path he went down - without knowing what he was fighting for, but he didn't have a choice.

It was an impossible situation. He couldn't go back to Starling, and he couldn't - _wouldn't_ \- stay in Hong Kong. How could he fight for his family when, according to Maseo, their safety no longer depended on his fighting?

"Be careful, Oliver," Maseo warned, "That is a very dangerous path."

"I know," he replied, "And I wish there was another." The unspoken _But there's not_ filled the subsequent quiet.

Eventually, Oliver broke the silence, holding out a hand. "If you ever need help, just call me," he offered, "And I will come." It was the least he could do, after everything the Yamashiros had done for him. Everything Maseo had done for him.

Maseo clasped his hand, and Oliver was surprised to find himself pulled into a hug, though he returned it easily.

* * *

"But I don't wanna go," Akio sniffed.

"It's not forever," Maseo promised, kneeling to be eye-level with his son, "I'll come get you one day. I'll come back to you. I promise. And until then, Oliver will drop by sometimes and make sure you're okay."

The two were on a private airstrip outside of Hong Kong. The others present, the people he was sending Akio to America with, were all beside or on the plane, giving the two some privacy to say their goodbyes.

Akio looked up at Maseo with wet eyes, "Why do you have to go?" he asked, his voice quivering.

"I told you, I have to get stronger for you. When I have, I'll come back."

"I don't want you to get stronger," Akio pleaded, "I want you to stay."

Maseo swallowed. He pulled Akio into a tight hug, then stood up. "Goodbye, Akio. Always remember that I love you."

"I love you too." The boy's voice was almost too quiet for him to hear as he walked away. His sobs, however, Maseo heard clearly.

He didn't look back. He couldn't. If he looked back, if he saw his son crying, he knew he would lose his resolve.

Oliver was waiting for him back in the parking lot, leaning against the car with his arms crossed. If he saw tear streaks on the older man's face, he didn't say anything about it.

He knew the American disagreed with this course of action, but he didn't say anything about that either. "I made the right choice," Maseo said fiercely. He glared at his friend, silently daring him to object.

Oliver said nothing. Neither did Maseo, after that.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I hope the POV change from Oliver to Maseo wasn't too weird. I don't know if fun is the right word to describe what writing this chapter was like, but I enjoyed it.**

 **One more chapter left. Please review, guys.**


	22. Agent Oliver Hunt

**22\. Agent Oliver Hunt**

 _March 1, 2009_

Oliver had filled out almost all of the necessary paperwork for his official induction into ARGUS except for one aspect: his name.

When he'd told Maseo he wanted to stay with ARGUS, his friend had informed him that Oliver Queen was too recognizable, and he had to choose a new name. He supposed he should be having some kind of emotional response, but he had accepted years ago that Oliver Queen had gone down with the Queen's Gambit. It didn't feel like a big deal. Actually _choosing_ a name, though, was a daunting task.

He knew, logically, that _that_ wasn't a big deal either. He should just choose something inconspicuous that flowed and be done with it. But… it was his _name_. It would be his identity for years to come. Of course, he would probably use plenty of aliases on missions, but this wasn't just some one-deal fake ID.

He sighed, pushing the unfinished paperwork to the side. It could wait till morning.

* * *

The next day found him and Maseo in an airport terminal at noon, waiting for Maseo's flight. Maseo hadn't told him why he was going to Nepal, and he hadn't asked. He wasn't even sure if there _was_ a reason, to be honest.

"And you're sure you have to do this alone?" Oliver asked.

"Yes, Oliver," the older man began, turning to face him completely, "You're stronger than me. If you weren't when you came to this city, there's no doubt about it now. You were strong enough to bring Shrieve to justice; I wasn't. If you come with me, I will only rely on that strength. I will lean on you. To get stronger, I have to be on my own, rely on my own strength. This is the only way."

Oliver didn't let his displeasure show on his face, but he was sure Maseo saw it anyway. He always seemed to know what Oliver was thinking.

He didn't want to let Maseo go, not like this. He was still grieving; he'd lost the love of his life not a week ago. Oliver was afraid he'd do something stupid. Maseo was strong, despite what he believed, but as he'd once told Oliver, strength was not enough.

Still, he knew the man would not be deterred. He knew the same way he knew there had been no way to stop him and Tatsu from helping him stop Shrieve. Maseo was doing this for his son.

Oliver clasped his friend's hand, pulling him into an embrace. "Don't forget what you're fighting for," he pleaded.

Maseo's eyes softened. "I won't. Just find something for _you_ to fight for soon, Oliver."

"I'll try," he promised.

Oliver had a lot more to say - _thank you, thank you for everything_ \- but nothing he actually intended to tell him. He probably already knew it all anyway. So when Maseo turned and walked to his plane, he didn't follow. He had another place to be.

* * *

An hour later, in a restaurant on the other side of the city, Oliver waited for his new handler.

He noticed the moment the dark-haired woman in the black leather jacket entered. there was nothing remarkable about her appearance (except perhaps that she was fairly good-looking, but that was irrelevant). However, she carried herself like a soldier. No, that wasn't quite right. She carried herself like Maseo - like an agent. Either way, she moved like a predator.

She took a seat at the table, draping her jacket on the back of her seat. "Lovely weather today," she commented.

Oliver recognized the code Maseo had warned him about, and replied in kind, "It's a bit warm for this time of year."

"Have you filled out all the paperwork?" she asked without preamble.

Oliver pulled the files from his jacket and she took them, opening them each to glance over the forms. She snapped the last one closed, satisfied.

She looked at him with calculating eyes, sizing him up. Then she smiled, which he would've taken as a good sign, but it wasn't a nice smile. It was the kind of smile Slade got when he found a new toy in the weapons crates.

"The name's Lyla Michaels," she introduced, shaking his hand, "Welcome to ARGUS, Agent Hunt."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **I know I'm leaving a lot up in the air with this ending, and that's on purpose.** **Does Maseo still go to the League, or does he get stronger some other way and eventually go back to Akio? Does Oliver ever go back to Starling, or does he stay with ARGUS forever? Why is Maseo going to Nepal?** **Questions you can answer for yourself, use your imagination.**

 **Although, if you guess what I had in mind with the Nepal thing, I'll edit this A/N to let you know.**

 **As for what happens to Akio, I've actually written a one-shot about that which I'm posting tomorrow, if you want to read it. Personally, I think it's not bad.**

 **I don't have any plans to** **continue this, but I could possibly change my mind when I finally get around to watching Arrow seasons 4 and 5.**

 **Thank y'all so much for sticking with me to the end of this. I love you guys.**


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